The Jungle
by Mally-chan
Summary: A fiction written by myself and Hato Chiisai! so you know it must be good. Ryou gets kidnapped by an underground ring of a new type of slave trade. A must read for people who have a fondness of animals!
1. Chapter 1

The Jungle

Mally-chan and Hato Chiisai

Disclaimer: We own nothing within this fic.

YAOI WARNING

Pegasus/Ryou, Marik/Ryou, Bakura/Malik, Seto/Yami

Chapter 1

"You know what the price of one of our kidnappings is..." the man said in a gruff yet hushed voice.

"Yes, I do." The other man said smoothly. "I want him. I'm willing to go to these lengths to have him forever."

The gruff man smirked. "You're sure? You know once it happens there's no undoing it. His genetics will be altered for life."

The smooth man nodded one amber eye flashing in the moonlight. "I'm prepared for that..." he said softly, looking away from the gruff man in thought. "Can I make a request however?"

The man nodded intrigued. "I don't think our scientists would care about a special request. Just make sure there is no tie to us."

The amber-eyed smooth talking man nodded. "Pick something suited to his demeanor...soft and gentle...cuddly and beautiful."

The other man chuckled and nodded, taking his leave. This was going to be a fun one. Who'd ever think Pegasus J. Crawford would ever hire an underground genetic altering kidnapping group to get someone for him?

Xxxxxx

Ryou yawned softly walking home from school. He'd stayed late to help Yugi and Jou with their cleaning duties. He had lost track of time though, when they finished and decided on a few quick games of duel monsters. Jou had only agreed on the condition Yami not give Yugi any playing tips, making the elder Mouto brother grumble softly and sit aside.

Ryou laughed softly at the image of Yami pouting. It was rare anymore that anyone agreed to play games with him. What was the point of playing the KING of games? It wasn't a challenge, it was massacre. Yami never blatantly beat the snot out of anyone, but he never lost, and it got terribly old.

The man smirked as he saw his target pass him...Ryou Bakura. "One white haired girly boy coming up." The man mumbled softly, quietly walking behind Ryou in a most normal manner.

Ryou frowned. He hated it when people walked behind him. He'd always felt uneasy. Ryou bit his lip and continued walking; forcing himself to swallow his fears and deal with it. He couldn't just demand all life NEVER walk behind him, it was unreasonable.

The man smirked broadly as they neared an alley. Just as Ryou was to pass it, he grabbed the youth in a headlock and pulled him into the alley, pulling a small metallic cylinder from his pocket.

Ryou struggled in fright. "Let me go! Who are you!" he gasped as his shirt was lifted and a cold metal came in contact with his side, before he felt a sharp sting, and struggled more fiercely. "NO! Stop it let me go!" he shrieked, feeling the drug pumping through his body, filling him with a dull burning sensation, and making his eyes droop closed.

"Stop..." he murmured, the last of his strength leaving him, his eyes closing and slumping into the arms of his captor.

"Now that wasn't so hard now was it?"

xxxxx

Ryou opened his eyes groaning softly. "Where am I?" he breathed, unable to stop the throbbing in his head. "Ohh..." he grunted, looking around dazedly, trying to identify his surroundings. He could smell the sanitizer in the room, it looked like a hospital. He shivered, realizing he was completely nude and strapped to a cool operating table. He bit his lip and forced himself not to panic. Someone must have taken him to the hospital after he'd been knocked out. He closed his eyes and steadied his breathing. "C-calm down, it's just a hospital..." he breathed so softly he hardly heard himself.

A door opened across the room, and an odd off tune whistling began, followed by a few assorted noises, such as the snap of rubber, and some glass clinking. The whistle briefly stopped and a muttering was heard, but then the whistling started up again.

"Awake yet over there?" Came a male voice.

Ryou squeaked softly and bit his lip, naturally uneasy. "U-um...y-yes." he said softly. "I...I would like to go home now...if that's alright." he stammered, squirming beneath the restraints. "So... i-if I could just have my clothes back, I can...find my way out." he added, looking around once more, hoping to find his clothes folded on a chair, or perhaps some other sign of comforts from a friend who had heard he was in a hospital.

"Sorry kiddo. No can do. For one, you'll be taken home when the time is right. And second, you will no longer have any need of clothes by that time." And the man walked into Ryou's view. He was wearing a white lab coat and had a stethoscope around his neck. He put the ear pieces in his ears and placed the cold metal plate on Ryou's chest, and listened for a moment, then nodded and wandered out of Ryou's view again.

Ryou blinked. "Of course I'll need my clothes!" he blurted. "I'll not be a streaker, and I want to go home now." he said a bit more boldly than he was feeling. "Keeping me here is against the law, you cannot hold a person unwilling, it's kidnapping." Ryou added, biting his lip. Forcing himself to swallow the building fear, as his mind was putting pieces he didn't want to fit together, together. "S-so please I'd just like to leave now."

"Sorry. Can't leave. And yes, you've finally guessed it. You've been kidnapped. Now shut up and let me work." And the man came back over, rolling some machines on wheels. He stuck some little wires onto Ryou's chest, abdomen, inner elbow and temple with some medical tape, and the monitors of the machines lit up with his pulse.

Ryou shook his head, eyes wide. "But... but why! You've no use for me! You can't just, just..." Ryou squirmed roughly, trying to free an arm, or a hand. "Let me leave! You can't possibly keep me here like this!" he bit back a whimper as fear freely washed over him. What would he do? "M-my friends will come looking for me, they'll notice I'm not there..." he breathed staring at the man, fear evident in his eyes. "They'll tell the police, I'll be found sooner or later."

The man smirked as he held up a needle, checking it, and then swabbed the inside of Ryou's elbow with some disinfectant.

"That's what they all say kid. But you won't be identifiable by the time I'm done with you. You won't even be human anymore by the time anyone finds you, IF anyone finds you. You've been specifically chosen. We picked you up on request. You may as well get used to the fact that your life is officially over, and you're going to have a new one." he slipped the needle into Ryou's arm once he had located a vein.

Ryou hissed in pain and glared at the man. "Not human? What are you going to do to me?" he said shaking his head, not liking the burning around the injected area. "Why me? Why me!" he demanded fearfully. "Why are you doing this?" he continued, the questions hitting him at a million miles an hour.

Who would have had this done to him? What were they intending on doing? Not human...He hated that phrase most of all. How could he not be human? "Who asked you to do this?"

"I'm afraid that the identity of the one who requested you must remain hidden for now." The man said. "But we were instructed to genetically alter you to take on characteristics of the animal that most suits you. And I think we found the perfect one. You will be one of our greatest successes, and with all of the screw ups with the birds, we really need a success right now for our own encouragement." he shuffled out of view for a moment, and then returned. He gently prodded the area around the needle. "Experiencing any burning sensation at all?" he asked, and Ryou gulped and nodded slightly. "Good. Just so you won't be alarmed, your senses will begin to leave you soon. It will take some time for you to regain them after the physical metamorphosis begins to take place."

Ryou shook his head. "W-why?" he breathed softly; sweat slowly forming over his body. It was so hot! He whimpered softly and tried to remain calm. "Please stop this... it hurts!" he whimpered, breathing beginning to pick up, as though he'd been working out in the sun for hours. "What is going to happen to me!" he said shaking his head, gritting his teeth and forcing himself to focus on anything but the increasing burn that was spreading through his body at a now alarming rate.

"What do you mean my senses will leave me? You can't do this! Make it stop!" he gasped sharply as the temperature seemed to suddenly skyrocket to a nearly unbearable heat.

The man dabbed a cold cloth on Ryou's forehead. The transformation alone put a lot of stress on the body, and the increase in temperature in combination with the transformation could be lethal. He wiped Ryou down trying to keep his temperature from getting too high.

"Your DNA is being broken down and rebuilt with animal DNA. And just as I said, your senses will be leaving you. I think it's only a matter of moments before you lose your sight right now."

Ryou wailed in agony as he closed his eyes tightly, the burning unbearable, he shook his head and whimpered, opening them and finding the man's words to be true, his vision was blurring and things were fading. Colors, then finally shapes...everything was gone in a matter of moments.

"N-no...please stop this!" he felt tears welling in his eyes, the eyes that could no longer see. "Please! Make it stop!" he shook his head as tears rolled down his cheeks. He felt more vulnerable than he had before. Without his eyes...he couldn't see he couldn't possibly get away now, not without his vision.

The man grunted. "Once you've lost your sight your vocal cords should tighten up, so you can't make any noise. So make as much noise as you want right now, it will be some time before you can do that again." And he went off in his off tune whistling again.

"No! Stop this! PLEASE!" Ryou wailed coughing as his throat began to burn and tighten as though someone were strangling him. "Please stop this! I want to go home!" Ryou began coughing more harshly as he tried to force himself to speak once more, and found it only forced wheezes through his throat. He sniffled and shook his head, biting his lip and wanting to crawl away. 'I have to get away...what will...become of me?'

He shivered as the cool rag was once again placed over his body to cool the heat. The pain was so intense, not even the coolness of the rag offered comfort, as his body began to tremble softly from the stress of the injection.

"Ah, right on time." The man said as Ryou lost his ability to speak. "Next you should loose your sense of smell, and then your hearing. Then, you should lose all consciousness. Now, when you wake up you still will not have regained your senses, alright?"

Ryou shook his head. 'No it's not alright!' He yelled in his mind, struggling despite the intense heat and pain. He squirmed and felt almost sure if he could just keep it up, he could work an arm free. He paused briefly to catch his breath, frightened as he realized he'd lost his hearing in the struggle. 'N-no...' he shook his head and struggled more fiercely.

'I can't just give up...' I can't...He whimpered as the heat was slowly dying down, and he was becoming tired. He lay still, whimpering softly as he felt himself slipping. 'I...I want to go home...I'm scared...' he was lost in this silenced darkness...and he didn't even know if he'd find his way out. What would happen to him now? Ryou slowly slipped into unconsciousness.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Pegasus walked down the white hall, the heels of his shoes clicking loudly on the tile. He reached the door he had been given directions to and walked in.

"Ahh, Pegasus, good to see you. I assume you're here to see the patient?" The male said smirking. "He's still sleeping, but you're welcome to go in and have a look. Just be careful of his ears, and the base of his spine, new bones are forming in those areas and if you feel the need to touch them, exercise extreme caution." he said calmly, offering the clipboard to Pegasus so he could see for himself that Ryou was doing fine.

Pegasus nodded, looking over the information he had been handed. "I would like to see him." he said. The man nodded and led Pegasus to a long hall lined with doors. Each door was labeled and had a window in it. Pegasus glanced in windows as they passed, reading the labels and seeing the experiments in various stages of the transformations they were undergoing. Finally, he reached a door with the label 'Oryctolagus cuniculus; albino (Ryou)'. The geneticist unlocked and opened the door, and Pegasus went in.

The room was white and sterile and very empty save for a bundle of blankets on the floor in the corner, with a small shivering body huddled among them. Going to investigate, Pegasus found Ryou, shivering in the cold of the room. He moved the blankets around, inspecting him.

Ryou shivered and whimpered softly, jumping when he felt movement near him, his eyes opened and he looked around blindly, shaking his head as he backed into the corner more, fearfully. 'P-please leave me alone! I want to go home!' He shook his head and sniffled, hugging himself and trembling in fear. 'I didn't do anything to deserve this, p-please...j-just leave me alone...'

Ryou still had the memory of the pain of the shot, and didn't want to repeat it. 'J-just leave me alone!' He shouted to himself tears welling up in the eyes that blindly stared into Pegasus's visible eye.

Pegasus jumped, startled by Ryou's sudden movements, but he was soon distracted by the boy's mental cries and the terrified look in his large pink eyes. Pegasus moved closer, reaching out and gently petting Ryou's long hair, and running his hand down the boy's back, noting a tiny little nub at the base of his spine.

"Shhhh..." he said quietly, despite the fact that Ryou could not hear him. "Shhhh... I won't hurt you."

Ryou sobbed softly, trembling as Pegasus gently stroked his back. 'P-please...don't hurt me... just let me go home... I want to go home...' he sniffled, slowly calming down and looking around the room blindly. 'I'm scared...j-just please I want to go home, let me leave...' he thought, wondering briefly why he was even bothering to converse with someone in his mind, but not about to stop.

He was desperate to find someone he could trust, who could get him home. 'Please take me home... t-take me away from here. I need to go home...' he thought shaking his head. 'I'm lost and afraid... I can't see or hear... speak... smell... I'm so lost...'

Pegasus continued petting him for a few minutes, then moved closer and wrapped the blankets around Ryou's body. Then he settled down with Ryou's head in his lap and continued petting him, trying to calm him down. He looked up at the geneticist in the doorway.

"I want no one touching him but me. I want him to be able to recognize my touch. Is this clear?"

"Of course." The man said calmly, stepping in and handing a cloth to Pegasus. "His eyes will need to be wrapped, I left them unwrapped so you could see the changes in action." he said taking a few notes before stepping back from them. "is he to your likings so far?" he asked calmly as Ryou's trembles slowly died down and his breathing evened out, slowly trusting the calm movements of the hands.

Ryou sniffled softly and nuzzled into the warm body near him. 'Who are you? Why... are you being kind to me? What if the man was being honest? How could you be kind to something inhuman?' Ryou shivered at the image of a horrible monstrous beast that flashed in his mind, a horrible beast that had white hair and answered to the name Ryou...

Pegasus smiled lightly. "I cannot say until the changes are complete, but so far I have nothing to complain about. Has he been fed?"

"Not yet, he actually wasn't due to wake up for a while longer, I can get something for him now though. I'm sure he's hungry." The man said exiting the room, returning after a few minutes with bits of watermelon and banana. "Soft enough he can chew easily and full of vitamins and water that he needs." The man said, handing the bowl of cut and seedless fruit to Pegasus.

Pegasus nodded and took it, picking up a small banana slice and brushing it over Ryou's lips, testing to see if he was hungry.

Ryou pulled back at the sudden sensation of cold over his lips. 'w-what... is that?' He tried to sniff and pouted when he once again found his nose useless. 'I wish I could see...'

The man frowned a bit. "He might not take solids, this particular breed of animal is fickle, some take to solids right after waking up, and others require something more liquid." he said exiting, and returning with a bottle, filled with what appeared to be a fruit smoothie. "Try this sir." he said handing the bottle to Pegasus. "Vitamin enriched fruit drink. If you decide to bring him food on your own, nothing but fruit and vegetables." he added suddenly. "Something other than fresh fruits and vegetables could make him sick."

Pegasus nodded and put down the banana, taking the bottle. He pressed it against Ryou's lips.

"Come on... take it... I know you must be hungry..." he encouraged, petting Ryou.  
Ryou pulled away once again wrinkling his nose. He was hungry, but what on earth was that thing the hands were trying to put in his mouth? 'I don't want it... I don't know what it is.' He thought stubbornly. His stomach growled loudly, despite his stubborn thoughts.

Ryou sighed softly, feeling the rumbles of his stomach, but not hearing it. 'I wish I could hear... I wish I had a nice meal... my friends...'

Pegasus frowned lightly and fisted his hand gently, but firmly into Ryou's hair, holding him still and pressing the rubber nipple against Ryou's lips, trying to force him to take it in. Once he figured out what it was, he was bound to be more agreeable about it.

Ryou squirmed at first, fighting to get that thing out of his mouth. 'No! I don't want it!' He shouted tasting the rubber and making horrible displeased faces. He sputtered and calmed when suddenly his mouth was filled with the taste of precious precious food! '... a... a bottle.' He realized, and immediately began sucking harshly on the bottle, trying to get as much of the delicious sustenance into his stomach

'I'm so hungry, oh this is wondrous!' He chirped in his mind, leaning forward nearly falling over Pegasus' lap in a seeming attempt to just inhale the bottle, plastics and all.  
Pegasus wrapped an arm around Ryou's waist, holding him firmly in place and laughing.

"Easy there, little one. Hungry as you are I doubt you'd be able to swallow the entire bottle without trouble!" he held Ryou, and glanced back at the geneticist. "He's already half done. Can I get another for him?" he asked.

The man nodded and exited, returning with another. "He's certainly energetic. Seems he's doing just splendid." he chuckled a bit, sitting the full bottle next to Pegasus, as he struggled to keep Ryou calm about the glorious food he was receiving.

'Oh give it to me! More please I'm so hungry!' Ryou squirmed to get closer to the bottle. He gasped as he fell forward, losing his balance, across Pegasus' lap. 'Ouch!' he shook his head, looking for the bottle. 'The food... where is the food?'

Pegasus made a few faces as he tried to contain Ryou, so far without much luck. The squirmy child was everywhere, his mental cries leaving no doubt in Pegasus' mind as to what he was getting so fussy over.

"What did you put in that bottle!" He asked, half in amusement and half in exasperation. Finally he had Ryou under control and in his lap, and he reached for the second bottle. He picked it up and dodged it thought the still groping hands, and stuck the thing right into Ryou's mouth. The groping and struggling stopped as Ryou simply sat huddled in his lap and sucked fiercely on the bottle.

The man laughed a bit. "Well his ability to taste is very poor without his other senses, so as with all things that need bottles to start, we add a bit of artificial flavor that they can pick up, despite their stunted senses." The man said chuckling. "Nothing special or unhealthy."

Ryou yawned a bit after finally finishing the second bottle. 'I wish I knew what time it was...' he thought to himself, looking around through blind eyes. 'I hate this darkness...' he curled into a ball in Pegasus' lap and remained still, not sleeping, but not about to move from the only human contact he had.

Pegasus smiled slightly and pet Ryou's hair, letting him settle there for a bit.

"I think he has calmed quite a bit so if you want to bandage his eyes now will be a good time. When will he begin to regain his senses?" He asked, fluffing Ryou's hair up and away a bit so he could check on his ears. They had seemed to lengthen a bit and had moved about an inch and a half or so up the side of his head.

The man carefully wrapped Ryou's eyes, doing his best to not touch the youth. "It depends on a few things, but gauging from his activity, the animal chosen, and his rate of progression, I'd estimate a couple of weeks. His vision and sense of smell will be the senses that will take the longest for him to regain.

Ryou wrinkled his nose and raised a hand to feel the cloth over his eyes, and tugged at it lightly, not liking the idea of being blinded further, if it were possible. 'Off... come off!' he made a few soft grumbles through his nose and searched for the area where he could begin untying it.

Pegasus impeded his progress, however, when he took Ryou's hands and pulled them away. "No..." He said, despite the fact that he could not be heard. "It must stay on." And he pet Ryou on the head, in a way of apologizing. "What about his training?" He asked.

"Well, up until he regains the senses he could identify you with, you can come in and train him how you see fit, and once you are no longer able to hide your identity, and we will have him sent to a local pet shop, where he will be trained further. When you can come innocently in, if you wish, and purchase him. Or simply pick up your order, depending on your preference of how you want him to see it." The man chuckled a bit.

Ryou huffed softly and tried once more to remove the cloth from his eyes. 'It bothers me and I want it off now.'

The man laughed a bit. "He's a stubborn one though, fought this whole thing to the bitter end. But I believe you'll be pleased with the final result."

"I have seen several of your projects, and I have faith that this one will be satisfying." Pegasus replied, once again taking Ryou's hands away from the bandage and petting him in apology. "What about my request to install a loyalty to me in him?"

"All taken care of Pegasus, he will be loyal to you, but we can discuss the trigger for that loyalty later. Animals have a... way of sensing things." he said. "You can visit as often or rarely as you please, just remember to check in with us. You'll also have to speak with our trainers about tips, and Ryou's other needs, if you're to be the only one to touch him."

"How often will he be fed and watered?" He asked.

"Once a day for three days in increasing amounts, to reintroduce eating to his system. Then, three meals daily at morning, noon, and just before bed. We will also bring in something for him to chew, his teeth will not change, or have minimal changes, but he will have insatiable desires to chew." The man said calmly. "No one will touch him, if you wish to feed him at those times, if you are unavailable, we will place the food near him, and leave him to figure it out."

Pegasus nodded. "I cannot come in three times a day, but I will try to come in and bring him his lunch. What about the necessities? Is he supposed to relieve himself in his blankets? And what about bathing?"

"We normally have someone come in to guide him to the facilities and bathe him, as well as launder the blankets but if you wish to be the one who does this, we provide this twice a day, as rarely is it needed more than that. Depending on the length of your stay, you could help him once when you come, and once before you leave." The man replied.

Pegasus nodded. "I see. Very well. I'm sure I'll find a way for things to work out to my satisfaction." And he looked down at Ryou, pleased that he had given up on getting rid of the blindfold. He ruffled his hair.

Ryou wrinkled his nose and made an unpleased noise. 'Stop that... I had my hair how I liked it!' he huffed in his mind, trying immediately to fix it, and with surprising detail managed to place his hair almost exactly as it had been.

The man laughed. "This particular breed of animal is a bit of a neat freak. Doesn't like their things being touched." He chuckled. "Which will indeed make his loyalty even stronger, because he will defend his territory to the death if need be. Heh... already exhibits signs of animal instinct."

Pegasus chuckled and ruffled Ryou's hair again, simply for the amusement of watching Ryou nearly spaz over it. 'I must think about moving his blankets around at some point,' he thought to himself. "When he is placed in the local pet shop, how will he be housed?" he asked, despite the fact that this was at least three weeks away.

"Clear glass enclosure, with feeding holes for guests to offer treats. His particular enclosure will be that suited to his needs. Soft wood shavings, and his food and water will be provided in the fashion always presented to his type of pet." He said, watching Ryou huff and place his hair back into position once more.

Pegasus nodded, then gently transferred Ryou out of his lap and back into the blankets. "Very well. I must go, but I will return tomorrow to feed him." He said, standing.

Ryou whimpered. 'no wait! please don't leave me alone!' he felt blindly for his lost companion. 'oh please! c-come back!' he sniffled as tears began to well in his closed eyes. 'I don't want to be alone!'

Pegasus smiled and pet him gently on the head, and wrapped the blankets around him. Then he turned and left the room, the geneticist closing the door behind them.

Ryou sniffled softly and shook his head, feeling the wind of the door close. 'I'm scared...' he thought laying back down and sniffling trying to force himself to sleep once more. 'I hope my friends find me soon...'

Pegasus walked down the empty hall, one hand in his pocket, and the other carrying a basket of fresh fruits and vegetables (and a little cheese cube for a treat) for Ryou, who had graduated to solid foods from bottles. It had been a week and a half since his first visit, and he had been told the day before that Ryou's hearing was bound to return any day, so he could no longer talk to the boy. He reached the check in station and was led to Ryou's room, and let in. Pegasus smiled at the boy, who was digging around in his blankets, struggling to make a satisfactory nest for himself. His little behind was up in the air as he worked, and a fluffy little tuft of a tail could clearly be seen at the base of his spine. Pegasus made a few little kissey noises, checking to see if Ryou had regained his hearing yet.

Ryou paused and an ear raised lightly. He sat up and looked around, ears twitching a bit, trying to decide if he'd heard something or not. He wrinkled his nose a bit and sat down, listening.

Pegasus was ecstatic! For the first time he had clearly seen Ryou's ears, or at least one of them. He had been told that Ryou had been fused with the genetics of a rabbit, but he hadn't really understood the perfection of that choice for Ryou until that moment. He nearly laughed to himself in delight. He made the kissey noise again, hoping to see both ears perk up this time.

Ryou's ear perked up again, the other hanging limply against his hair. 'I think I heard something...' he thought to himself, flicking the ear that was listening. He smiled to himself and lowered the ear, looking in the direction of Pegasus. 'I bet the hands are here, and they're messing with me...' his ear lowered back into his hair, practically disappearing it blended so well with the soft white locks.

Pegasus smiled to himself. It was adorable how Ryou referred to him as 'the hands' but that was all he let Ryou know of him. He moved across the room until he got to Ryou, and pet him gently on the head.

Ryou nuzzled into the touch and opened his mouth. 'I'm hungry... what'd you bring me? I know you have something yummy, you always bring something yummy' he thought tilting his head up, mouth obediently open awaiting a delicious treat.

Pegasus nearly laughed out loud again, and slowly settled down, petting Ryou gently for a few minutes before reaching into the basket for a slice of pear, which he had learned was one of Ryou's favorites. He pressed it against Ryou's mouth, gently.

Ryou eagerly accepted the fruit and chewed, delighted. 'mmm...' he finished it and opened his mouth once more. 'that was delicious...' he murmured in his mind. 'sometimes I wonder if you can hear me...you always know just what I like.' Ryou nuzzled into the hand petting him. 'any more tasty treats for me?'

Pegasus smiled and pet Ryou before offering him a bit of cucumber. Ryou accepted this with a disappointed noise, so Pegasus gave a bit more pear after that, and then a slice of radish, and a little carrot stub.

Ryou ate every piece he was given, glad to be receiving food. 'its all so good, not as good as the pear, but all so good!' he thought chewing delightedly on the carrot stub, before nuzzling once more against Pegasus' hand and arm.

Pegasus smiled, then reached into the basket for a few of the special treats he had brought for Ryou, first selecting a little slice of watermelon. He offered it to his little bunny.

Ryou took a small nibble before gasping softly, both ears shooting into the air.

'Watermelon! Oh I've been craving one forever! Oh it's so delicious!' he lunged forward and took a great bite, delight evident in his blushing pink cheeks. 'ohhh... mmm I'm in heaven... oh how I've craved some watermelon, it's been nagging at me for a long time now!'

Ryou hugged himself and hummed in delight. 'wonderful watermelon oh I bet it's so nice outside, I'd love to go out and sit in the sun somewhere, its cold in here...'

Pegasus grinned in delight, finally getting to see Ryou's bunny ears. Sure, they were small and not fully developed, but they were as cute as could be. Pegasus made a mental note: Bring more watermelon. He also made a mental note to see to it that Ryou was given more blankets. He pet Ryou as the boy purred slightly, then reached into the basket and drew out the small cube of cheddar cheese and offered it to Ryou, wanting to see his reaction to this new treat.

Ryou nibbled the cheese and grinned, imagining himself sitting out in a warm patch of sun nibbling on watermelon and cheese. 'mmmm...' he thought, licking his lips a bit. 'I like that... I bet the weather outside is just perfect to bask in the sun...' he curled up next to Pegasus and nuzzled his leg, his ears slowly retreating back into his hair.

'Thank you for the food, I was so hungry. I think I'm being cheated out of food, or there's mice in here... or maybe I'm just very hungry lately...' he mumbled in his mind. 'or the food is disappearing, it just feels like you're giving me more than I get when you're not here...'

Pegasus frowned at that and decided to speak to someone about how well Ryou was being fed. He continued to feed his pet bunny some apple slices, and then gave another treat he had brought for him; a bit of pineapple.

Ryou wiggled his nose, as another blush spread across his cheeks. 'mmm oh it's sweet and sour at the same time... so delicious...' he licked his lips and savored the taste, before finally finishing the bit of pineapple. 'oh that was great, hands, you know just what I like.'

Pegasus smiled and continued feeding Ryou bits of fruit and vegetables, waiting for him to start refusing the food. When he did, Pegasus set the basket aside and cuddled Ryou a bit, before getting up.

Ryou pouted a bit. 'Don't tell me you're leaving already! you just got here please don't go!' he sat up and sniffled shaking his head. 'don't! you just got here! please stay!' he pleaded in his mind, his ears drooping slightly more than usual. 'please? Please don't leave me alone... i hate being alone...'

Pegasus smiled and placed his hand on the back of Ryou's head and pushed forwards a bit, trying to guide Ryou and make him understand that he was coming with him.

Ryou blinked and stumbled forward a bit, latching onto Pegasus' arm, to keep himself from stumbling. 'w-where am I going? I don't like this...' he pouted and followed blindly, fearful of running into something 'I'll... I'll hurt myself I don't like moving, I can't see...'

Pegasus smiled and guided Ryou into the bathroom he had been show the day before. He had been told that someone would be in there to help him when he bathed the bunny, and he looked around for such help.

A woman smiled calmly and pointed to a pre-filled bathtub nodding, before holding up a bar of soap, and a washrag, having been told to not elicit conversation that may cause Pegasus to speak.

Pegasus nodded and lifted Ryou up, smirking at his squeak, and placed him in the water. Ryou didn't seem too happy at first, he thrashed a bit, ears more erect but still back, and his tail was tucked down. He whimpered and tried to get out of the tub, but Pegasus held him there firmly, petting him. After a bit he took the cloth from the woman and wet it, then gently ran it over Ryou's cheeks to let him know he was only getting a bath. After Ryou calmed, he removed the blindfold and gently moved the cloth over his eyelids, then down the rest of his face. He then took the soap and proceeded to lather up his bunny in soapsuds.

Ryou pouted and huffed slightly 'I can wash myself.' he mumbled in his mind, wrinkling his nose and flicking a sudsy ear. 'I'm not a baby'. he reached for the hand that was washing him and snatched the cloth, to wash himself, and just as he was about to begin showing how 'un-baby like' he was, the soap slipped from his hand and he pouted. 'that's not fair!'

Pegasus couldn't help it this time; he laughed. Ryou's ear flicked, and Pegasus shut up, snatching the cloth and soap away and continuing with Ryou's bath.

Ryou crossed his arms looking away from the sound of laughter. 'it wasn't funny.' he pouted opening an eye to see if he could see. He sighed softly 'I want my eyes back...' he pouted, closing the eye again miserably. 'I could wash myself if I could find the bloody soap.' he thought pouting, the tips of his ears drooping.

Pegasus smiled and put his hands under Ryou's armpits, lifting him from the bath. To his amusement, Ryou tucked his legs in tightly... just like a bunny. Pegasus sat him on the floor and wrapped a big fluffy towel around him and rubbed him dry, then carried him back to his room. He set him down in the middle of the room, took the towel and backed away, watching him.

Ryou opened his eyes futilely, and huffed. 'heyyy...' he pouted, looking around for his blankets, he crawled forward, feeling for the blankets and yelped when he hit his head on a wall and grumbled. 'ouch...' he thought, wondering how he'd missed that.

After a few moments of looking Ryou settled in his nest of blankets and pouted, rubbing his head. 'stupid walls...'

Pegasus smiled and slipped out the door, closing it behind him and going in search of someone to speak to about certain needs Ryou had that he felt were not being met.

"Oh good afternoon Pegasus, here to see your pet I presume?" The geneticist said inspecting something through the glass window of a different door.

"Yes, I just left him. While I was with him a few concerns came to my attention." He said, glancing through the window and in at the occupant. "I believe that you will need to give him extra bedding or raise the temperature in his room. And I think you're not feeding him enough at breakfast and dinner. He seems famished when I come in to tend to him. Oh, and I believe he is starting to get his hearing back as well. I am quite satisfied with the progress of his physical changes so far."

The man nodded. "We were just about to up his diet. I'll see he gets more blankets, The temperature I'm afraid isn't adjustable between rooms." He scratched a few notes. "I thought you'd like my choice for him, he is very timid." The man chuckled a bit. "Is there anything else you feel he needs?"

Pegasus thought a moment, then shook his head. "Nothing comes to mind." He said. "I do like the decision you made of a rabbit for him. A good choice, it fits him perfectly." He looked back into the room they were next to. "What do we have here?"

"Ahh, well this one is another attempt at a bird." The man said calmly. "He was taken in not long after Ryou, and so far, seems to be proceeding successfully." He explained. "Birds are not mammals, and as such are difficult to induce to human DNA." He pointed to the sleeping youth on the floor. "He however, may be our first successful attempt."

"really?" Pegasus said, intrigued, and looked in to examine this experiment closer. His eyes widened. 'Is that--! Oh, this is TOO funny!' He thought to himself, and burst out laughing. It was that blasted little snot, the King of Games himself, Yami Mouto! There was NO mistaking that hair! He managed to calm his laughing after it had triggered an agitated howling from another room down the hall.

"May I ask what you do with failed experiments?"

"Feed them to the lion." the man said calmly. "We have to get him off his ass somehow." he added, noting the displeased look on the sleeping youth's face. "Would you like a closer look? It seems you know the boy. He'll turn out to be a songbird if the genetics take."

Pegasus grinned. "I would LOVE to take a closer look at-- did you say LION!"

The man nodded "We make all manner of creatures. Lions, rabbits, you name it." he chuckled. "The lion just happens to be a bum we found on the streets, nearly dead. He turned out brilliantly." He said unlocking the door and inviting Pegasus in. "He sleeps like a rock, so you can touch him if you wish, as you can see he seems to be forming wings."

Pegasus walked over to Yami, sleeping on a blanket on the floor. He circled him for a moment, then knelt and felt his newly forming wings, carefully.

"Quite amusing. Yes, I know this little bastard... nothing but a thorn in my side. It was actually because of him, however, that I found Ryou; they are good friends, actually." He stood, looking back at the geneticist. "And I hope I can see this lion at some point, he sounds fascinating."

The man laughed. "He was quite stubborn about it; he nearly broke loose before the injection was complete." He said watching the teen wince on the floor and roll on his side, huddling under the blankets. "I had to restrain him until he passed out from the strain."

"Hmmm... sounds strong. Can you handle him now with the changes?" Pegasus asked as they left the room.

"Yes of course. His bones should be much weaker than before, to give him access to flight." The man replied.

Pegasus blinked, and then laughed. "I meant the lion." He clarified.

"Oh, the lion? Oh he's no trouble. If anything he likes the changes, probably because now he gets fed. As I said he was a bum on the streets who was dying at the time." The man laughed, watching Yami cough a few times, wincing. "He'll be at the pet shop, if you take an interest, you could look him over when you go to pick up your rabbit."

Pegasus nodded. "I'll look him over, maybe. He sounds fascinating. And I can't wait to see THIS one fully changed." And he jerked his head towards Yami. "Now, I must be returning to work. I'll be back in tomorrow." And he walked down the hall.

The man nodded. "I will see you then." he replied, once again going about his work.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 


	2. Chapter 2

The Jungle

Mally-chan and Hato Chiisai

Disclaimer: We own nothing within this fic.

YAOI WARNING

Pegasus/Ryou, Marik/Ryou, Bakura/Malik, Seto/Yami

Chapter 2

Pegasus sighed as the door was opened to him... for the last time. He walked in, seeing Ryou's head pop up from among the blankets, his ear perked up. The boy would be getting his sight and smell back very soon, and Pegasus could not let himself be identified. For the last week, Ryou had been trying to feel him with his hands, try to see what he looked like, and Pegasus was often having to put a halt to that. He walked across the room and sat down, petting Ryou.

"Hello." Ryou said once again trying to feel to identify Pegasus. "I'm glad you are here..." he said softly, ears laying serenely back against his hair. "I wish you would speak to me, I wish I could see you..." he mumbled pouting as Pegasus yet again stopped him from feeling him.

"...I wish I could know you, I owe so much to you... can you take me away from here? I... want to go home. I don't belong here. I need to go home, my friends need me." he breathed looking down at the floor, gently tugging at the cloth over his eyes.

Pegasus pulled Ryou's hands away from the cloth and pet him, gently, before offering him a slice of watermelon, having only brought the boy's favorite treats today as a parting gift, and an oatmeal raisin cookie for an extra special treat.

Ryou smiled and nibbled at the watermelon. "Mmm... it reminds me of summer... I bet the weather is just wonderful outside..." he said softly, finishing the slice slowly, cherishing the taste. "You always know just what I want..."

Pegasus smiled and pet him gently, giving him a strawberry. Ryou had become very affectionate to him, and still referred to him as 'hands' which he found to be just adorable.

He looked down and flicked at Ryou's fluffy tail, amused by it.

Ryou wrinkled his nose and scooted away a bit. "stop that.." he mumbled around the strawberry. "I don't flick your behind." he said, still oblivious to the changes he'd undergone, despite the soft flick of his tail in irritation.

Pegasus snorted loudly, trying not to laugh, but it was quite obvious that he WAS laughing, just not in a vocal way... more in a nasal-snort-like-a-pig kind of way, and Ryou did NOT appreciate it when Pegasus gave his little tail an affectionate tug.

"it's not funny!" he huffed, crossing his arms, ears flicking in annoyance. "I should goose you and see how you like it!"

This time Pegasus had to smack his own hand over his mouth and he shook violently, he was laughing so hard. Finally, he shoved Ryou out of his lap and ran from the room. He slammed the door and burst out laughing; Ryou was TOO funny! Of course, his sudden departure had Ryou near frantic, so Pegasus regained his composure and returned, petting Ryou all over and kissing his forehead as a way to apologize, and he offered Ryou a little cheese cube again.

Ryou accepted it eagerly and chewed in silence for a moment. "Thank you for coming back... I'm sorry..." he mumbled softly. "I didn't mean to upset you." he added, his ears drooping into his face a bit. "I hate it when you leave..." he added, nuzzling into Pegasus' arms and curling up in his lap.

Pegasus smiled and rocked him gently, kissing his cheek to let him know he wasn't angry. He pet Ryou's hair and back, and fed him little bits of fruit, then pulled another treat out of the basket; a bottle of the fruit smoothie like the first one he had ever given Ryou. He pressed the rubber nipple against his lips, encouraging him to take it.

Ryou blushed a bit. "Bottles?" he submitted however and drank it slowly, appreciating every taste. "mmm... just like the very first thing you ever fed me... thank you hands. Why such special treats today? Is it a special day?" he asked softly.

Pegasus let out a deep sigh and pet Ryou, nodding to himself. When Ryou had finished the bottle, he tapped him gently on the nose, and got out the last treat; the oatmeal raisin cookie. He held it up to Ryou's mouth after giving him a little kiss on the top of his head between his ears.

Ryou munched the cookie happily and grinned broadly. "Ohh oatmeal, I bet you give these to all the lost naked boys." he said giggling in delight at the rare treat. After finishing the cookie, he raised a hand to once again try to feel Pegasus. "Please? Can't I have a small peek? Its only fair you let me know you... you've known me since I've been here... taken care of me. Oh please...?"

Pegasus quirked an eyebrow at the comment about 'lost naked boys', but smiled at Ryou's pleas to let him touch him. He hugged him strongly, then took Ryou's hand in his and lifted it, kissing the top gently, then placed Ryou back into his nest, standing and walking towards the door.

Ryou sat up and shook his head. "P-please don't leave! I... I won't try to touch you anymore! Please stay!" he pleaded softly, ears drooping. "Please? Don't go... we can sit and enjoy each other's company a bit longer! Oh please don't leave, I'll do anything you want!" he begged, sniffling, the cloth over his eyes dampening with tears.

Pegasus winced, but he knew if he didn't leave now, he wouldn't have the heart to. He opened the door and stepped out, closing it behind him. He blinked at the geneticist before him.

"What's to be done with him now?" He asked, wondering how long it might be before he could finally take his sweet little bunny home.

"Well, once his vision and sense of smell returns, we will take him to the pet shop. If you so desire, you can visit him if you wish, just don't let him know that you ordered him. He'll be trained there, and once his training is complete, you can take home your pet." The man said calmly. smiling. "He'll be an obedient little bunny."

Pegasus nodded. "Excellent." He said, and left.

As he walked by, he stopped and looked into Yami's room, curious as to his progression.

The man smirked a bit. "Still curious on your little pain? His senses are coming back differently than the others, most unpredictable, he can see and hear, but neither speak nor smell." he said calmly. "His wings are fully formed, and as you can see, he's just sprouted his pinfeathers. He's very irritable."

Pegasus chuckled. "I'll bet he's LOVING that..." And he turned and went on his way.

Ryou stared at the window in his cell, smiling. "I can get away..." he said softly, hopping up to perch dangerously in the window, struggling to open it.

"I'll go home, I'll tell the police what's happening here. I'll stop that lunatic." he said gasping in delight as he opened the window and began crawling out into the warm sunshine. "Freedom!" he chirped.

Suddenly, the door behind him opened. The geneticist blinked, then snorted.

"Well... there's something I don't see every day." He said, staring at Ryou's fluffy tailed backside in the window. He walked over and wrapped an arm around his waist, heaving him back inside. Ryou let out a cry of dismay. "No! Bad bunny! Bad!" The man scolded, and carried Ryou from the room.

Ryou glared. "I'm NOT a bunny! Put me down this instant!" he squirmed and struggled. "I need to go home now!" he said dismayed. "I need to let the proper authorities know what you people are doing here!" he yelled loudly as he was stuffed into a crate. The man carried the crate and it's furious contents outside and placed it into a van. He drove about fifteen minutes, trying to ignore Ryou's howls, and finally stopped at a building with a sign over it reading 'HYBRID PETS'. He pulled around to the back, unloaded the crate and took it inside. In the hall he opened it and caught Ryou as he made a break for it.

"PUT ME DOWN!" Ryou shouted. "I'm not a bunny!"

The man chuckled as he entered a room. "Rem! Got a new one for you!" He called to a woman in the room, and then looked down at the boy under his arm. "Of course you're a bunny! Don't be silly. Now behave like a good bunny." He said, putting Ryou down on a metal table.

Ryou glared. "I'm a human you monster, now I demand that you let me LEAVE!" he said starting to get off of the table to leave.

The man sighed and looked at Rem. "Only days ago he was the most timid little thing. But I think you have your work cut out for you, my dear." And he reached out and snatched Ryou's bunny ears. "I said behave." He ordered.

Ryou yelped and bit him harshly on the arm, faster than a blink. "You horrid wretched monster!" he hissed around the man's arm. "How dare you!" he said pulling away and rubbing his head, still oblivious to the changes he'd undergone. "I should pull your hair you horrible monstrous kidnapping beast!" he added angrily. "I'm a human being and I have a name, and I want to leave NOW."

The man leapt back and snarled, inspecting his arm. "BAD!" He roared, and gave Ryou a sharp smack on the ass. "NO! NO BITING! BAD BAD BUNNY!"

Rem giggled softly. "Now Dai, you know that teaches them nothing. You don't punish bunnies the same way you punish a dog or cat." she said amusedly watching the two fight.

Ryou glared. "For the final time, I am NOT a bunny! I'm a HUMAN being! My name is Ryou Bakura and I need to go home!" he said getting up and starting to walk past the man defiantly.

Rem giggled softly at all the trouble Daisuke had to deal with. "He's such a cutie."

Dai rolled his eyes and grabbed Ryou. "Yeah, yeah, cutie, whatever..." He growled, then looked at Ryou. "You are NOT human. Humans don't have rabbit ears and furry tails." And he plopped Ryou back down on the table.

Ryou glared. "I don't!" he squirmed off the table once more. "Now let me leave!" he said, his ears quivering at the sides of his head, in anger. "I don't know who you think you are, kidnapping me and holding me prisoner, but now that I can see and speak again, I'm going straight to the police!"

Dai sighed and dragged Ryou across the room to a mirror and spun him around. "LOOK you stubborn little Jack Rabbit! Look at your nice little FURRY ass!"

Ryou gasped, ears shooting into the air. "...W-what have you done to me?" he said backing away from the mirror, turning to face it. His eyes were bright crimson, he had big floppy ears... and a tail. "What have you done to me? I'm human!" he shouted shaking his head in disbelief.

"No. You're not. You are a genetically created animal/human hybrid created to be the companion pet of whoever buys you." Dai said, folding his arms. "Once you're properly trained, that is."

Ryou glared at him. "How... you liar! You kidnapped me! You kidnapped me off the streets and made me into this! I'm HUMAN!" Ryou felt tears welling in his eyes from frustration.

Rem petted his hair softly. "Come now, we know you want to be human... but you're not, you could never go out without a master and expect to survive." She said soothingly.

Ryou pulled away and shook his head. "I'm human! I'm HUMAN! Why can't you believe me! I, I have a past! I have a home!"

"Yes. This is your home for now, but soon you will get a much better one where you will be loved and taken care of. But if you want that, you must be a good bunny." Dai said, and looked to Rem. "Rem here will help you become a good bunny. Rem, go ahead and start." And he sat back to watch.

Rem smiled and petted Ryou's hair and hefted him up like he was nothing, causing him to squeak. "Put me down!" he wailed squirming as she tossed him into a pre-prepared bath and beginning to wash him quickly, yet thoroughly.

"Bunnies with such pretty white fur need to be squeaky clean." She said as he sputtered and squirmed to get away.

"Stop i-AHH!" he yelped as she dumped water over him, rinsing him clean of the suds.

"Come now." She said, plucking him from the water and drying him quickly with a towel, making him look like a drowned rat. Ryou squirmed to get away, and catching sight of a door, decided to make a bolt for it, if he could just make it past Daisuke...

Daiskue however had no intention of letting Ryou by, and caught him quickly by the ears, lifting him up. "No!" He snapped, and carried the squealing bunny by the ears back over to Rem. "You be good!" He dropped Ryou down on the table where Rem was waiting to groom him.

Ryou winced and let his ears fall limply back against his hair. "Let me leave..." he pouted, as Rem began combing through his hair, blow drying it.

"Now Ryou..." she said softly "You'll like it here, there are lots of other animals for you to talk to." She said, stepping away to gather some things for him to wear.

Ryou hopped up and made a second attempt at the door, zipping past Daisuke with unthinkable speed.

Daisuke howled as he leapt in Ryou's way only to get bowled over. "FUCKING RABBIT!" He roared, and grabbed Ryou's ankle, jerking him back and being none too gentle about it. He gave Ryou several harsh smacks to the behind before picking him up and slamming him down on the table again. "Do NOT try that again or I'll be making a lucky keychain out of your FOOT!" He seethed.

Ryou winced and bit his lip. "I'm human." he hissed, the fur on his ears prickling up. "And once I get out of here you will be in a world of trouble." he said firmly.

Rem calmly fastened a metal band around his throat, followed by a powder blue ribbon, tied in a ridiculously large bow. "Aww see? You pretty up nicely." She said, puffing out the bow and admiring the small puffballs that dangled down from the untied ends. "Now for the last touches."

Ryou wrinkled his nose and began untying the ribbon. "I don't want it."

Dai frowned. "Do you want another spanking, Bugs?" He growled, and slowly, Ryou lowered his hands from the bow. Dai walked over and pet him. "Good Bunny... See? You can be good..."

Ryou bit him sharply and glared. "I'm human." he huffed, as Rem straightened his ribbon.

"Dai, don't provoke him, he's unsettled enough." Rem said softly, fastening a small pin to the center of the ribbon which pictured a vertical carrot, on a powder blue background, which read 'pet' in the greens of the carrot and 'bunny' in the root.

Ryou wrinkled his nose. "I'm human." He said firmly glaring at Daisuke still.

Dai grunted and backed away. "You'll have to cure that biting of his." He growled. Ryou glared and Dai snorted.

Rem shrugged softly. "Bite him back if he bothers you that much." she said picking him up. "Thank you Dai, I'm going to put him on display now, as always, another fine pet you've made human." She smiled and ruffled Ryou's hair softly, making him huff and fix it.

"I look forward to the next." She added, walking out into the pet shop, and Ryou stared amazed at all the animals they were passing along the way.

"...how can you live with yourself? All these people..." he breathed, shaking his head, eyes wide.

Ryou gulped when a leering face appeared from the darkness of a small cave inside one of the enclosures. "I smell food..." The throaty voice snarled, and a boy with brown hair with a gray tuft in the front appeared, showing long sharp teeth, canine ears and a bushy tail. The label on his enclosure read 'Coyote (canis latrans) "REX".' He chuckled darkly at Ryou, licking his lips. "Is it dinner time, Rem?"

Rem smiled and shook her head. "Sorry Rex, this one isn't food." She smiled at the slight grunt of disapproval from him.

Ryou gripped onto Rem, a bit unnerved at the idea of being someone's lunch. "I...I would like t-to leave now..." he whimpered, staring at Rex.

As Rem walked, they came to another enclosure, full of rocks and sand, and sand was actually flying back from under a rock in fountains. The label read 'Chinchilla (chinchilla lanigera) "WEEVIL".' A moment later a head with little gray ears and narrow eyes appeared and watched Ryou pass. Weevil glared at Ryou, then turned and went back to his digging, his tail poking up out of the hole. The next enclosure had the label 'Ring Tailed Lemur (lemur catta) "ESPA".' It was filled with leaves and branches, and a moment later Ryou spotted the large eyed occupant, staring at him from where he had paused in his grooming. He said nothing, like Weevil, and just went back to his activities once they had passed. The next enclosure was empty, but the one after it said 'Striped Skunk (mephitis mephitis) "BAKURA".' Ryou peered in, curiously, but saw nothing.

The next label read 'Rabbit (oryctolagus cuniculus) "RYOU".'

Rem placed Ryou in the enclosure and smiled. "Make yourself at home." She said softly, patting him on the head before locking him inside.

Ryou blinked a few times. "H-hey! W-wait! You can't leave me like this!" he shouted after her. He frowned when she continued on, seemingly ignoring him.

He looked around, noticing his surroundings, the typical rabbit cage including wood shaving floor, water bottle hanging from the wall, food dish, salt lick, chew toys, litter box, and a large half log to hide in. He quickly crawled under the large log and curled up miserably. "What am I supposed to do now? I need to get out of here..."

The place was dark and quiet. But a few moments later, a deep chuckling was heard. "It's night time." Came a growl from nearby. "You're supposed to sleep. Unfortunately, many of us, including you, are now nocturnal..." Ryou jumped and looked for the source of the voice, and we met with a pair of glowing yellow eyes in the darkness, staring at him. "You can't hide forever, Fluffy. C'mon out... meet your neighbors... Hey Bakura! Come meet the newbie!"

"Fuck off!" Came another voice from the other direction.

Ryou stared at the bright eyes. "Leave me alone!" he said, unthinkingly beginning to bury himself in wood shavings. The eyes frightened him, there was something very unnatural about them, he looked where the other voice came from, his soft ears plastered back against his head in fear.

"Wh-who are you?" he asked fearfully. Buried now up to his nose in wood shavings and shaking like a leaf. He'd never been so frightened before in his life.

The eyes seemed to rise in the air and come closer, and a large figure appeared in the moonlight that came in through the skylight of the pet shop.

"Lion, panthera leo, Marik, or so my name tag says." The figure said, smirking and showing off very large, very sharp teeth. "And stinky over there--"

"FUCK YOU!"

"Doesn't like to be bothered." Marik finished, looking past Ryou at the eyes that glared from in the darkness of Bakura's cage.

Ryou shrank down and focused his eyes on Bakura's rather than Marik's intimidating teeth. "S-stinky?" he asked softly, confused by the insult. "W-why stinky?"

"BECAUSE I'M A FUCKIN SKUNK YOU RETARDED RODENT!" Came a furious shriek from the darkness, and several other voices were heard, telling Bakura to shut up. Bakura growled to himself and Marik rolled over onto his back, laughing, making Ryou notice his VERY obvious nudity.

Ryou squeaked and looked away. "I...I'm j-just going to try to sleep." He whimpered, still trembling from Bakura's outburst. He couldn't help but peer out from under the shavings at Marik though. His tanned skin...the way his hair fell against his bare shoulders and that slender tail...Ryou blushed and forced himself to close his eyes. He couldn't possibly be thinking that! There wasn't anything attractive about him! They were both monsters now...

Ryou awoke to an awful scraping noise. His ear twitched and he made a grimace before opening his eyes and looking up. Judging by the light coming in through the skylight, the sun had just come up. Ryou looked for the source of the noise. It was coming from his neighbor. Ryou caught his first sight of Marik in full light. He was standing up in front of a wooden column pretending to be a tree, and was sharpening his claws, digging them into the wood and dragging them down, his tail twitching side to side. After a bit, he stopped and flung himself back into the sand on the bottom of his cage, wiggled around a bit then rolled lazily onto his side, looking around. He eyes fell on Ryou, who was peeking up over the edge of the wood shaving nest he had made under his little half log. Marik smirked.

"Well well... good morning, Thumper." He said with a smirk, showing off his large incisors. "Sleep well?"

Ryou ducked down, his crimson eyes just barely visible over the shavings and nodded quickly, still quite intimidated by Marik. "M-must you smile like that?" He asked softly, peering just barely over the shavings. "It's... not very friendly." he mumbled softly, forcing himself not to stare at Marik's nudity. "Aren't you ashamed of yourself?"

Marik blinked. "Huh?" He asked, baffled, then noticed where Ryou was staring. He grinned. "No! Why should I be? The human, or, whatever we are, body is a beautiful thing! There's nothing wrong with showing off your natural beauty."

"Heh... that's what Rem told you when you were fussing about being naked, moron." Bakura was heard from his enclosure, though Ryou still was unable to see him as he was hiding in his own hidey place; a large hollow tree stump.

"Bite me, Bakura. At least I have the guts to let others see me, unlike you!" Marik shot back, and Bakura growled from his hiding place. "I understand how you might not want to be seen considering you're two cages down from me and your body PALES in comparison to mine... pun intended."

"FUCK YOU!" Bakura screeched. Marik chuckled and looked at Ryou, amused.

Ryou turned slightly and looked at the stump. "A-are you always this grouchy?" he asked softly, ears flat against his skull, obviously frightened as it was. "S-surely you can't be that bad..."

Ryou was glad to change the subject from Marik's body, to anything but Marik's body. Even if it meant Bakura's body.

Marik rolled onto his back, roaring with laughter. Bakura, however, was livid, and slowly emerged from his stump, eyes glittering in fury.

"Not that bad!" He hissed. "Look, Cotton-Tail... I don't know who you think you are..." Ryou let out a little 'eep!' as Bakura emerged. He had spiky white hair falling down to his waist with a black stripe down the center, and a huge bushy white tail with the black stripe. He was a skunk with a backwards color scheme, little black skunk ears, claws, and a VERY angry expression on his face. "But if you even THINK that--"

"Don't listen to him, Thumper." Marik interrupted. "Bakura's all talk. He can't even spray you if he even wanted."

"Marik, you--"

"He's been deoderized." Marik finished, and Bakura glared, furious, blushing.

"No one asked you!" He spat, and Marik grinned.

"Bakura's just jealous because I got to be a cool animal and he got to be... stinky to the point of needing an extra surgery." Bakura growled.

Ryou blinked. "You don't look that bad..." Ryou said softly, peering more over the wood shavings at Bakura. "You don't even have to be naked, you can hide behind your big tail." He added, hoping to comfort the angry skunk. "B-besides, all the spiky hair makes you look much more ferocious than Marik." he said softly, hoping that Bakura would calm down and be civil to him. "I don't think you stink."

"That's because there's a wall between you." Marik said. "And he doesn't look ferocious, he looks pissy." Bakura glared.

"You can't talk about ferocious Marik... you're over there napping on your back like an oversized house cat!" Bakura snapped.

"A house cat is more frightening than you, Pepe LePew." Marik said, and Bakura twitched in anger, then stormed across his enclosure, muttering to himself as he drank from his little water pond. Marik chuckled and continued to relax on his back.

"Ignore him, Thumper. He just likes to be intimidating." He said.

Ryou looked back at Marik. "You aren't very nice to him... it's not a wonder he acts like that." he said curling back up in his nest. "I feel badly for him..." he said softly. "I think he's very original." He added, still trying to make somewhat peaceful grounds with the skunk.

Ryou sighed softly. "How can you live so... contently like this?" He asked suddenly. "Doesn't it bother you...that you're not human anymore?"

Marik snorted. "Kid, I'm treated more like a human in here than I ever was out THERE!" He rolled onto his side and looked Ryou straight in the eyes. "Here, I have a good place to sleep, good meals, I'm kept clean... I'm safe. Out there I was on the streets, freezing at night with no where to sleep, literally starving to death, and was at the mercy of others who were in my position and happened to be stronger than me. Kid, to me, THIS is paradise!"

Ryou blinked and shook his head. "But at what cost? You aren't treated human here...you're kept in a glass cage day in and day out, completely nude and lord only knows what else!" Ryou said shaking his head. "I want to go home..."

He sniffled softly and tugged his own ears. "Look what they've done to you, you're not human, you're not animal! We're all monsters!" he said shaking his head in misery. "How can you be satisfied with that?"

Marik growled. "Because I'm grateful for what I have in here." He hissed. "It's more than I had out there. Maybe you don't get the point kid. If they hadn't picked me up and done this to me, I would have starved to death long ago. I'm no more an animal in here than I was out there. The only difference between this life and the one I had was that now, I'm healthy, comfortable, happy, and I have the added bonus of claws." He smirked. "But you wouldn't understand. You were obviously a little pampered brat. So don't tell me that this is worse that the life I had before, because it's NOT." And he stalked across his cage and into his dark cave. Bakura chuckled.

"Bravo, Cotton-Tail. You've pissed off Simba." He teased, but froze at a deafening roar from Marik. His tail was straight up in the air and puffed up, and he stared at Marik's cave with wide eyes, then relaxed and chuckled.

"Can you two ever SHUT UP!" screamed the coyote from the night before.

"Bite me, Rex." Bakura snapped.

Ryou bit his lip and sniffled, absolutely terrified.. He hadn't meant to upset Marik...and to make matters worse that roar had sent his heart into his throat. He felt utterly sick.

"I...I..." he felt hot tears working trails down his cheeks. "I..." He couldn't even bring himself to speak. Was that the image that Marik perceived him as? He shrank down into the shavings and began burying himself. Marik may have thought this a blessing, a way to survive, but for him, it was still a curse. He couldn't even look at a set of claws as a perk, he only gained big unhide-able floppy ears, and a cotton-tail.

Ryou sobbed softly beneath the wood shavings out of fright, and regret he'd ever said anything at all.

Marik blinked and lifted his head, twitching an ear as he heard Ryou crying. He winced, and after a moment he emerged from his cave and moved right over to the glass wall between himself and Ryou.

"Hey, Thumper..." He called, gently. "I didn't mean to lose my temper like that. I'm sorry. I know you're just scared and shocked. Everyone was when they first came in... me included." He ignored Bakura's laughing snort. "I thought it was awful as well when I first came. But you have to look at the bright side, right? Well, this just happened to be an improvement in the quality of my life, but I'm sure it's far from that for you. I'm sure you had a life, friends, family... everything I didn't have. And it must hurt to be taken from that. But this is your life now, and you have to make the best of it. What do you say? C'mon out from under there and meet me face to face. After all, we ARE neighbors." Marik smiled. "And tell me your name while you're at it, unless you prefer Thumper."

Ryou sniffled and shook his head from under the shavings, still shaking violently from the scare. "j-just... j-just leave me alone..." he hiccupped from under the soft shavings, the only bit of him even visible was a soft furry ear that was barely visible. "I'm not a rabbit.." He sniffled, choking back a loud sob. "I'm human... I'm human and I want to go home..." he hugged himself under the wood and sniffled. "I-I'm sorry I upset you..." He breathed softly from under the shavings, still refusing to emerge from his safe haven of slowly soaking wood. "I...I'm glad you find s-such joy living like this..." he added hiccupping again and becoming silent, aside from occasional hiccups, and the still visible trembling.

Ryou missed his life dearly, and didn't want to accept this as living. "I'm no one's little... pet..." he sniffled softly, still hiccupping, though his trembling had slowly died down.

"Yes you are." Bakura said, suddenly. "I heard Rem talking about it. You already belong to someone, you're just on display as a living advertisement while you get trained."

"Bakura! Hush up! He's upset enough as it is!" Marik snapped. "Look, Thumper... You're lucky. You have a home waiting for you. You'll be taken care of. I don't know how long I'll be here. Now, please come out of there. It's almost breakfast time!" He seemed very eager at this announcement.

Ryou wailed miserably. "Someone had this done to me! What kind of sick person would do this to another!" He sobbed louder and kicked up some shavings. "That's not luck! I would rather DIE, I'd rather die in the streets, or alone in a gutter somewhere! I don't WANT to be owned, I don't WANT to be some mutated creature made for someone ELSE'S amusement!" He wailed, frustrated.

"I was kidnapped! I was kidnapped and changed against my will for some SICKO'S amusement! I don't want this, I want my friends! My family!" He calmed down and sniffled. "I'm not coming out, I'd rather starve." he said stubbornly. "There's nothing I want to eat anyway."

Marik glared. "Don't ask to die starving in the streets. Been there, done that, and I can tell you that NOTHING is as bad as that. But fine. Hide under your log like a coward. You'll learn soon enough that it won't help anything." And Marik turned and padded across his enclosure, got a drink, and started sharpening his claws again. Bakura chuckled, darkly.

Rem yawned softly, pushing a large cart through the many aisles of cages, stopping at each one to provide exactly what each creature needed. "Don't eat it all at once now, it has to last until lunch!" she called softly, before opening Marik's cage and coming in bravely, as though he were a meek pussycat. "Mariiiiik" She called, making soft kissey noises, which only made Ryou's ears twitch in annoyance. "I have a special treat for youuuuu." She said in a singsong voice.

She walked back towards the door and grinned. "Alright here you go!" she said, placing a pair of bunnies on the floor and closing the door.

Marik turned, and he perked up. "Hey... FRESH meat!" He gasped, leaping to his feet. Bakura was laughing hysterically.

"Oh, this is gonna be GREAT!" He cackled, looking at Ryou, eagerly. Marik got to his feet and launched himself at the rabbits with a roar. Both froze and their ears shot up, then they ran, leaving Marik slamming face first into the wall. He yelped and fell back, rubbed his forehead, then looked around for his breakfast. He grinned as he saw one huddled in the corner, and began stalking it on all fours.

Ryou jumped, at the sudden loud thump and looked in Marik's cage and gasped in horror. He stared wide-eyed at Marik and shook his head, absolutely stunned he was considering eating something live, let alone...

He wailed and buried himself more under the shavings and shook violently.

"MONSTER!" he shouted in utter horror and fright.

Rem carefully poured a bucket of alfalfa pellets and sunflower seeds, mixed with bits of bean sprouts into his dish and checked his water. "Alright you can eat." She said peering under the log. Rem shook her head a bit. "Still scared? It's alright..." she said, leaving Ryou's cage quietly.

Bakura was watching Marik chase the rabbit around his cage, and paid no attention when a bowl of fruit, vegetables and a few insects was placed in his cage. Suddenly there was a horrible squealing sound from Marik's cage, and Ryou jerked his head up to find one of the most horrible sights in his life. Marik had finally caught a rabbit and had it in his jaws, and the rabbit was screaming.

Ryou shrieked in horror and shook his head. "PUT IT DOWN!" he wailed tears rolling down his cheeks. "HOW COULD YOU!" he sobbed, wide crimson eyes staring straight at Marik. "You horrible...h-horrible..." Ryou trembled and shook his head, unable to pull his eyes from the rabbit in Marik's mouth, unable to stop the tears that rolled freely down his cheeks.

His ears fell into his face and he sobbed loudly, shaking like a leaf and still staring at Marik with wide hurt eyes.

Marik, who had looked quite proud of himself, suddenly looked shocked. He looked at Ryou, then down at the rabbit thrashing in his mouth, and his heart sunk into the tip of his tail. He quickly dropped the rabbit, feeling horribly guilty. Poor Ryou had just come in the night before, was scared to death, and then he had to go and hunt a live animal in front of him... a RABBIT no less! He backed away from the struggling rabbit that was bleeding all over the sand.

"R-R-REM!" He roared, his voice thundering through the entire pet shop.

Rem hurried back and opened the cage door. "Marik what's all the fuss?" She asked, noticing the rabbit in the sand. "I thought you loved rabbits." she said, carefully picking it up and examining it's wounds. "What's wrong?" She said, carefully tending to the rabbit's wounds as the poor creature sat still, merely twitching occasionally, still frightened and weakened from the blood loss.

Marik rolled his eyes and sat on his haunches, flicking his tail. "What a wonderful thing to give me on Thumper's first day..." He drawled, looking pointedly at Ryou.

Rem laughed softly and began bandaging the injured rabbit. "Oh, I didn't realize you'd have a problem with it." She said softly, picking up the other frightened bunny and smiling. "I'm afraid though, this is all I had for you until lunch, the shipment for the carnivores doesn't come until after two." She said calmly, ushering the rabbits into Ryou's cage, after she was sure the injured rabbit would survive.

"I'll leave them with your neighbor until your lunch comes." Rem added, shaking her head. "Are you sure? You don't have anything until lunch if you don't want it."

Marik frowned and stared hard at Ryou; he was starving, and live rabbits was one of his favorite treats.

"I'm sure..." He managed to growl out between clenched teeth. "SHUT UP, BAKURA!" Bakura didn't stop laughing about the 'big fuzzy kitty'. Marik snarled and stalked over to a large fallen log, jumped up on top of it and stretched out across it, sighing in a depressed fashion as he watched the rabbits who were huddling in the wood shavings in the middle of Ryou's cage.

Ryou crawled out slowly, gently ushering the bunnies under the log and clinging to them, staring at Marik with wide, still frightened eyes. He slowly backed into the log, clutching the soft animals in his arms and remained staring at him for some time.

"...I...I'm sorry..." he said after a few moments, the injured rabbit curled up in his lap, sleeping soundly at this point, feeling safe and secure in the lap of another of it's kind. "B-but...you were...you were...you were going to..." he shivered and his ears drooped. "You looked so PROUD..." Ryou felt new tears roll down his cheeks. "You can have my breakfast...I'm not hungry..." he offered softly. Ryou winced when he heard Bakura laugh louder and eat quite smugly.

Marik had just given up eating until two that afternoon, just because he'd seen...

"Marik...I..."

Marik sighed and shook his head. "No, don't be sorry. You're scared enough and I had to go and try to eat, umm... well... yeah... I didn't think about how it might upset you. I'm sorry. And besides, going without a meal is nothing new to me, I'll be fine... umm... will your little... friend be okay?" Bakura completely fell over this time he was laughing so hard. Marik's eyes narrowed and he growled loudly, glaring at Bakura. "Damn you Bakura, can't you EVER shut up and be even SEMI nice!"

"Well look at YOU!" Bakura giggled in a high pitched voice. "You normally would have ripped that little rodent to shreds by now and would be playing with the pieces! But no, he's sitting the next cage over being cuddled by Flopsy! You've gotten soft, Simba!" And this time, even Marik's furious roar didn't shut him up.

Ryou whimpered and shrank down in his enclosure. "Please stop fighting..." He whispered so softly he hardly heard himself. "H-here, I'll give you my food, i-its better than nothing." He said softly, inching out of the log, cowering in fear and shakily lifting some of the pellets, seeds and greens and tossing them over the glass for Marik to eat if he wanted.

"P-please don't do that anymore..." he added, backing towards his log again, clearly unnerved. He turned to look at Bakura and frowned as the skunk ate gluttonously, smirking proudly at his unlost meal, clearly rubbing it in the face of Marik, who was grouchy and hungry without any meal.

Of course, Bakura also had to make Ryou uncomfortable and stared his naked body up and down, and Marik did as well, though not for the same reasons as Bakura.

"Um, thanks for the thought, Thumper, but I don't eat seeds and plants. You should have kept that for yourself. But it's good to see you come out from under your log." He smiled, trying not to show his teeth.

Ryou blushed darkly and hunched down, burying himself a bit into his shavings and tugging his ears lightly. "Please don't stare..." he said, the blush easily notable over his pale cheeks. "Don't look at me like that..." he mumbled forcing himself to study the interesting wood pattern on the wood shavings.

Ryou trembled every so often, seemingly unable to stop the soft jolts of fear that wracked his body. "M-my name is Ryou..." He whispered, biting his lip. "But...I...suppose it doesn't matter does it?" He asked softly.

Marik blinked. "Of course it matters! It's your name. That's the one thing we keep." He smiled and hopped off of his log and approached the glass divider. "And don't bother hiding your nudity. You're very attractive, and they demand that we show off our assets. You can't hide under that log for the rest of your life." Of course, this didn't help Ryou to calm down. Suddenly, Bakura decided to add in his two cents.

"Look Flopsy, the only advice we can give you is to adapt to this life, and do it quickly. Because you can never go back to your old one. You're not human anymore. You can never see your friends or family again. All you are now is a Missing Child poster in the drug store window, destined to be another unsolved case. Those are the facts, live with 'em." And with that, he crammed more fruit into his mouth.

Ryou's eyes filled with deep hurt and sorrow. "I'm not just a poster...I'll get home...j-just you wait!" He backed back into his log and hugged the rabbits sniffling and shaking his head. "AND I'M GONNA HIDE UNDER HERE UNTIL I DO!" he shouted suddenly, sniffling and beginning to dig a deeper nest amongst the wood shavings.

Why couldn't they let him hope? Why did everyone around him have to shoot down his every dream of getting home. His friends would accept him for who he was, no matter how he looked...His family would accept him. If he could just get away, he could at least go home, even if he never breathed a word of the geneticist to anyone.

Marik glared at Bakura, who was rolling his eyes as he groomed his big bushy tail. Marik sighed and plopped himself down again. "Ryou, we just don't want you to cling to impossible hopes." He said, then checked the sunlight. "Uh oh... it's almost opening time..."

Ryou pouted and peered out of his nest. "Uh oh? Why uh oh?" He dreaded the answer. As if he hadn't been through enough, the last thing he needed was more awful things to happen to him.

"And my hopes aren't impossible...one day I'll get home, and when I do, my family and friends will be right there...It'll be just like it was before I was ever kidnapped..." he breathed softly, nuzzling one of the other rabbits and letting his ears flop down into the soft shavings.

"You keep thinkin that, Thumper." Bakura said, deciding to adopt Marik's nickname for Ryou. "And 'uh oh' for you cuz the people are sure to LOVE bunnies and they're gonna wanna stare at your naked furry ass."

Ryou turned a dark red, his face nearly matching his eyes. "Please don't say that...I just want to be left alone..." He said softly, pouting. "I'm tired...and I miss my family..." He added, blowing a woodchip out of his face and watching it fall to the ground nearby.

He looked at Marik and sighed softly, trying to force a smile, but not really succeeding. Marik was trying so hard to cheer him up...he just couldn't see the upside to this. He forced a weak smile at best and sighed once more, looking dully at the false wood of the small log he was hiding under and flicking his ears a bit.

Marik sighed and opened his mouth to offer more comfort, but he jerked his head up as he heard a familiar boom; the doors had opened. And moments later people were drifting in to see the selection that the "Pet Shop" was offering.

"Ah... our adoring public..." Bakura drawled sarcastically, and slunk into his stump. 


	3. Chapter 3

The Jungle

Mally-chan and Hato Chiisai

Disclaimer: We own nothing within this fic.

YAOI WARNING

Pegasus/Ryou, Marik/Ryou, Bakura/Malik, Seto/Yami

Chapter 3

Marik sighed and rested his chin on his folded arms and watched calmly as the room slowly began to fill, Rem wandering about answering questions.

Ryou looked at Marik fearfully, wincing softly. "They're so loud... it hurts my ears..." he mumbled tugging on them softly, peering around the stump just barely, staring wide-eyed at the group of children that had gathered near his enclosure. He whimpered and looked at Marik pleading for any kind of help. "Make them go away... please!" he whispered shaking his head, beginning to tremble again. "M-make them go away!" he yelped when one child began to bang loudly on the glass.

"come out you stupid rabbit!" He shouted, causing Ryou to jump suddenly and hit his head on the inside of the log, eliciting a loud pained squealing clicking noise.

"Come out of that log!" The boy huffed irritated. "I wanna see!" Another child squealed in delight, followed by more children beginning to bang, tap and otherwise make loud noises, be it jeering or shouting. All in attempt to lure the new rabbit out of his log.

Marik sighed and rolled his eyes. He hated children... so loud and irritating. He smirked. "Hey bunny... watch this..." He called, then suddenly launched himself off of his log and flew at the children, claws and fangs bared, and letting out the loudest most fearsome roar he could, slamming against the glass nearest to the children.

Ryou jumped, but then looked relieved as the children all squealed in fear and ran from his cage. He offered a weak smile in gratitude to Marik and sat up a bit from his nest to watch him quietly, hoping to just give the impression that he was sleeping to the rest of the pet shop.

Rem smiled softly, watching the fiasco from afar. Marik was trying to protect his new neighbor, by scaring away the small children, which were probably near sending the new bunny into a heart attack. She laughed softly at the idea and decided to leave Ryou and Marik alone until after lunch, so Marik could have the chance to calm the poor traumatized bunny.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ryou shivered softly and raised an ear, as the pet shop seemed to grow much quieter than it had been. Had the children left? He looked at Marik and smiled meekly. "Thank you... for earlier..." he said softly blushing a bit and looking down. "they... were hurting my ears... and scaring the... the..." He frowned, when the only phrase that could come to mind was 'other rabbits'.

Marik smiled from where he was lounging. "The other bunnies?" He said, making Ryou wince. "Yeah, I hate those kids. They used to bug Bakura like that, and make fun of him because he was a skunk. I had to scare them off for him as well. Of course, now that we're not next door to each other, he'll need a new way to get rid of them."

Ryou inched out of the log and walked to the side of the cage, before once again ritualistically burying himself in the wood shavings, pressing his hands to the glass and looking at Marik sadly. "Is... that what I am now then? Just some bunny? I don't want to be... I'm still human... I still think and feel and hurt..." he said softly looking down. "I still have a will of my own, how can I possibly be, another bunny?"

Ryou looked up at Marik and pressed his hands once more against the glass. "What... do you see?" he asked softly.

Marik looked at him, then got up and moved over so he could look Ryou straight in the eyes. "You are another bunny. A bunny who was once human, and is grieving over the humanity he does not yet understand he's lost. But Ryou, what about those rabbits over there? Do they not think, feel, and hurt? Do they not have a will of their own? You still have a soul, Ryou. That's what's important." And he smiled gently.

Ryou frowned, his ears drooping. "But... I'm still human... I was born that way... I have my memories, a family..." He looked back into the log and his ears drooped lower than they'd ever drooped. "They... are all of those things, but they were born bunnies, I wasn't. They can live happily, never having been human, to know the difference." He looked back at Marik with sad crimson eyes.

"Ears and a tail, a bunny does not make..." he said softly. "They can't take away the humanity in me... just because they give me extra parts..." he said shaking his head. "Can't you understand?"

Marik thought a moment, then nodded. "Yes, I understand. You're right. They can change you physically, but they cannot take away your humanity... unless you let them." He smiled, then winced at a shrill shout.

"OOOOOH! LOOK AT THE BUNNY!" A child howled, and Bakura burst into laughter.

Ryou felt his ears shoot straight up and quiver, as he let out a shrill squeal and dove back into his log, absolutely terrified by the sudden outburst. He laid under the log, only a foot visible, panting and wide eyed shaking like a leaf. "I wish they wouldn't DOOOO that" He sobbed, the other bunnies quivering in fear too.

Ryou calmed himself and slowly sat up under the log, appearing to preform a cleansing ritual, pulling his ears down one at a time and rubbing them, smoothing the fur and soon the smaller bunnies seemed to follow in the ritual, all three beginning to groom their ears, to calm themselves.

Marik watched with a small smile, then watched several children come running over, one child dragging his mother.

"Mommy! Mommy! I wanna see the bunny! Can I pet him, Mommy!" He was asking, eagerly. Marik rolled his eyes. It was only a matter of time before Rem came to investigate. Bakura was already poking his head out, amused by Ryou's discomfort. Of course, if the attention turned towards him, he'd be doing exactly what Ryou was doing.

Ryou looked desperately at Marik once more. "How do you get them to go away!" he pleaded desperate to be left alone. "I, I can't do this!" he shrieked as once more they began squealing and banging on the glass, the other two bunnies beginning to thump their feet against the wood shavings.

Ryou yelped as Rem suddenly yanked him out from under the log and he immediately squirmed. "Put me down!" He shrieked. He looked at Marik once again, desperate to get away from this situation. "GOD PLEASE HELP ME!" he pleaded squirming to get away from Rem and retreat back into his log.

Marik sighed and watched Rem carry Ryou out of the cage... there was nothing he could do, and Ryou would soon learn that he was overreacting. However, he did glare at Bakura, who was laughing himself silly.

Rem carried Ryou out of the cage and smiled. "I'll just get him ready." She said handing the woman and her child a small card with a number on it. "We'll just meet you in that pen ok?" She said calmly carrying Ryou into the back room.

Ryou squirmed to get away and yelped when she began dressing him in a one piece bunny suit that covered nearly nothing, and small booties and gloves, each held on by oversized bells that dangled down. He struggled to try and remove the offending gloves and boots, finding their true purpose, to keep him from removing anything.

Rem smiled and patted him on the head, straightening his ribbon, and carrying him out towards the pens. He wailed and squirmed more. "Put me down this minute! I demand you put me down you horrible woman! I'm NOT A PET!" he shouted, his shouts practically carrying over the entire pet shop. She set him down in the pen and pinched his cheek.

"Even pretend like you'll bite someone, and I'll give you the shock of your life." She said leaving him alone... with the boy and his mother...

"BUNNYYYYYYYY!" The boy squealed, and charged towards Ryou, who flattened himself to the floor.

"Careful sweetie. The poor little thing looks scared to death!" The mother said and walked over, kneeling and gently petting Ryou's head. "Be gentle with the bunny." The little boy nodded and pet Ryou gently.

"Gentle..." He repeated. His mother offered Ryou a little bit of carrot.

"Here you go, Bugs." She said.

Ryou glared. "My name isn't Bugs!" he spat, looking away and huffing, ears bristling up as the child pet him. "Get off of me!" he growled, squirming away from the boy, glaring at the both of them. "I don't like you. either of you!" he said, ears bristling more.

The woman frowned.

"Oh my... he isn't a very nice bunny..." She picked up her son. "Maybe we should leave him alone..." She looked around for Rem, and signaled her over. "I don't think this one is very socialized... he obviously needs a lot of work. You shouldn't let children near him until he's behaving properly." she seemed angry that Rem had brought them an unfriendly rabbit.

Rem smiled softly. "He's just shy is all, he's new here you see, and very frightened." She said picking Ryou up and petting him, giving him a good hidden shock. Ryou yelped in pain and his ears drooped, he groaned softly as she sat him back down, appearing to have mellowed him out. "See? He's just very frightened."

She took the carrot from the mother and laughed a bit. "Here. This will make him a bit more friendly." She said handing the woman a bit of apple. "I assure you he's very sweet, just very frightened, you are very big people compared to him, and he's still unused to how things are." She smiled again at him, just daring him to try being hateful again.

Ryou looked at her miserably and sighed, his ears relaxed and his mind more focused on the sudden and immense pain he'd just endured.

The woman hesitantly put her son down and moved closer, offering Ryou the bit of apple.

"Are you scared, bunny? Is that it? This place must be so scary to you, you poor little thing..." She pet him, and so did her son. "Especially next to that scary old lion and that mean old skunk... you must be terrified... poor little bunny rabbit..."

"Mommy, can I keep him?" the little boy asked. "I'm gonna name him Cadbury!"

"No dear." The woman said. "He's already been bought."

"Awww..." the boy pouted as his mother tried to coax Ryou into taking the apple slice.  
Ryou yelped softly at the second shock, though less intense and immediately took the apple, chewing shakily. This wasn't fair! He wasn't an animal! He was being shocked for god's sake! He pouted and finished the apple, beginning to gently tug at the ribbon around his neck to no avail, merely making the bells on his gloves jingle.

"I have a name." He pouted, wincing a bit as another light shock traveled through his body. He flopped down and laid on his side as the young boy petted him, appearing to just revel in the touches.

Ryou closed his eyes and sighed, forcing himself to think about something else, something less degrading.

The woman smiled and pet him too, thinking he wanted a belly rub. "Awwww... what a sweet little thing. Maybe we can special order a bunny, baby? Would you like that?" She asked her son.

"Yes, mommy!" the little boy sang, "petting" Ryou's "tummy" but it was really smacking Ryou's crotch.

Ryou twitched and growled squirming away from the boy. "Please don't order a bunny!" He yelped as a very strong shock wracked his body and he laid still, panting, his eyes full of pain.

He whimpered softly, his crotch no longer bothering him near as much as his neck, and the more than likely singed flesh beneath that big blue ribbon.

The little boy blinked. "Why?" He asked, while his mother watched Ryou's pained grimaces with concern.

Ryou bit his lip and remained silent, not wanting another shock. He relaxed as the pain from the shock subsided and looked at the woman slowly. Wondering if he should even speak at all...

"Mommy, I want a bunny with spots!" The little boy said, and his mother nodded.

"We'll see, baby. Are you sure you want a bunny, though? We can order any animal you want!"

"I WANT A PONY!"

Ryou winced. "Please... don't squeal... it hurts my ears." He said softly sitting up slowly. "A-are you finished with me?" he asked hoping to return to his little log and lay undisturbed until he died, but knowing he'd inevitably be back here again soon.

"awwwww... does the bunny wanna go home now?" The mother asked, and Ryou gulped and nodded. The woman smiled and pet him, then kissed his nose. "Sure. We'll call Miss Rem." And she offered Ryou a little piece of celery.

Ryou took it and chewed it slowly, looking at her uneasily.

Rem smiled. "Isn't he a sweetheart? He's just very frightened. It's his first day here, I'm sorry he acted up earlier." she said bowing lightly to the woman. "If you feel the need to order a pet, I have some papers on the front desk, and we can get the pet of your choice genetically altered to be more human within a few weeks." She said picking Ryou up carefully, petting him. "A pet, and a lifelong companion who will be loyal to a fault." She said proudly.

Ryou looked back at the woman, wanting desperately to tell her not to order a pet, but with Rem's warning pets he bit his lip and looked down.

The woman smiled and nodded, taking her son away from the pen. Ryou was returned to his cage (after being stripped naked again) and Marik came over to the wall.

"So... how did your first time out go?" He asked.

Ryou crawled under his log and flopped down. "Kill me... kill me please." he mumbled laying down and looking at him with pained eyes. "some other person's life is going to be ruined, because I'm so 'cute'." he said softly, looking away and sniffling. "Some poor person who doesn't deserve this... is going to go through this..."

Marik sighed and lay down on his log again, saying nothing. What COULD one say to that? Well... Bakura seemed to have some ideas.

"Oh, stop feeling sorry for yourself, Thumper." He snapped, annoyed. "You are such a whiney little brat! This is your life now, get over it! You can't change it! And you think that just because you're cute someone is gonna have their life ruined! Well guess what... it's NOT because you're cute, it's because WE are cute! ALL of us! So stop blaming yourself and crying over it, you make me sick!"

Ryou sighed and nodded softly, remaining silent and looking down at the wood shavings. He sighed once more, before sitting up and looking Bakura square in the eyes and said softly. "Are you sure it's not that awful stench?"

Marik and Bakura's eyes widened in shock. Then, Bakura's narrowed.

"Why you filthy little rodent!" He cried, furious. He lunged out of his stump, slamming his fists on the wall, while Marik broke into hysterical laughter. "WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU I'LL TORTURE YOU MORE THAN MARIK WOULD HAVE TORTURED YOUR LITTLE FRIENDS IN THERE!" Marik stopped laughing and stared at Bakura.

"Don't tell him that!"

"Why! It's true! You LOVE to rip apart your bunny treats limb by limb, slowly... and gut them and rip out their entrails and start to eat them while they're still alive... well, Marik... here's a nice big bunny for you that will last longer than the real ones!"

Ryou laid back down in his log, ignoring Bakura and sighing. "If I were so filthy, I'd stink like you." He mumbled curling up and sighing softly. "Now who makes who sick?" He said smiling softly at Bakura, snuggling into one of the two sleeping bunnies, refusing to look at Marik, not wanting to make eye contact with him. He winced at the idea of him doing such horrible things to bunnies.

"Just leave me alone..."

Marik ripped into the flesh in his claws with fervor, licking up the juices that flowed. He was making pleased noises as he ate one of his several steaks, not noticing the effects that the sounds of ripping flesh were having on Ryou, or the jealous look he was getting from Bakura, who was on a mainly fruit and insect diet. He moved his head down to lick some of the bloody fluids from his hands and then licked over the meat before ripping another chunk from it and devouring it.

Rem laughed. Marik had only had the steak for thirty seconds. She turned to give Ryou his meal.

Ryou groaned softly and laid under his log shaking his head as Rem poured some nuts and berries into his bowl, exiting and entering Bakura's enclosure, pouring some cobs of corn, and a few berries into his bowl.

"Now you all enjoy your lunch ok?" She said smiling and wandering off to feed the other animals.

Ryou winced and looked back at Marik, paling a bit, imagining him doing that to the poor injured bunny. He whimpered and shook his head, covering his eyes with his ears and burying his face in the wood shavings. "How can you eat like that?"

Marik blinked and looked up. "I'm famished, this stuff isn't exactly soft and easy to rip up, and I'm afraid they don't give us the luxury of forks and steak knives." He said, ripping into the flesh again. Bakura grumbled as he munched his berries and gnawed on the corn cobs.

"Eat your food, Ryou. And share with your friends. Have you named them?" Marik asked.

Ryou blinked and shook his head. "No... and... I'm not very hungry..." he said softly, letting the bunnies wander out to his food dish and eat their fill. "I... suppose I could name them." He said softly, thinking for a moment. "The one you bit, I'll call him... um..."

"How about Meatball?" Bakura snickered, gaining a look of horror from Ryou, and annoyance from Marik. "Okay... how about Lucky? As in... LUCKY CHARM! Rabbit's foot! Get it!" Marik rolled his eyes.

"Shut up, Bakura." He said. "Keep it simple, Ryou. How about Charlie?"

Ryou frowned softly. "It feels wrong naming them..." he said after a moment. "Who am I to name them? They're not MY pets..."

"Well, what are you gonna call them? The Chew Toy and the Other One?" Bakura asked.

Ryou shook his head. "I don't really need to call them, it's not like I'd talk to them. There isn't much to be said..." He said softly. "Besides I couldn't call them lucky, one got maimed by Marik, the other nearly had a heart attack. I suppose I could call them Tuc and Nod..." he said softly, watching the two playing gently, since Tuc was injured.

Ryou laid back down. "You like your dinner?" he asked both neighbors softly, looking at the ceiling of his log.

"Mm-hmm..." Marik replied, his mouth currently full of said dinner.

"Shut up." Was Bakura's reply as he munched on a caterpillar that he had found in his meal. After a while, he said something that startled the other two. "You need to eat, Thumper."

Ryou shook his head. "I'm fine... I'm really not hungry... besides, Tuc and Nod need it more than me..." He said smiling and sitting up, offering Bakura a genuinely thankful smile. "But thank you for caring..." he added softly, laying back down and looking at the side of the log.

He frowned softly, something was missing... he missed those hands. Ryou pouted a bit and thought back to the last time he'd felt those hands. Oatmeal cookies, pears, pineapple, watermelon... He smiled, reminiscing on the feeling of being cared for. He missed the contact.

Sighing he closed his eyes and looked at the bunnies, who were curled up snoozing away in each other's warmth.

Marik sighed as he swallowed the last of his meat, and looked at Tuc and Nod, then Ryou, then at the nearly full food dish.

"Ryou... why aren't you hungry?" He asked.

Ryou flicked an ear slightly. "I don't know... I guess I just..." He sighed softly. "Something's missing..."

Marik blinked and cocked his head.

"Missing?" He asked. "What's missing?"

Ryou stared at the ceiling. "It's hard to describe..." he said softly, sitting up and peering out of his log, glad to see the pet shop relatively empty. He scooted close to the edge of the cage and laid next to it, looking at Marik. "I... I guess I just don't feel very appreciated..." he said softly.

"Appreciated?" Marik asked, walking over to the wall and lying next to Ryou. "How so?"

Ryou began his ritual of cleaning his ears again. "I don't know... I just... don't like eating alone..." He said switching ears. "It feels weird..."

Marik frowned. "What about the weeks you spent in the development labs?" He asked.

Ryou blinked. "I didn't eat alone." he replied switching back, tediously grooming his ultra soft ears.

Marik blinked. "You didn't?" He asked, watching Ryou groom. "Who ate with you?"

"The hands." He replied simply, switching once again, in a seemingly endless grooming session. "Why?"

Marik blinked. "The hands? What are the hands?"

Ryou blinked. "Well, hands. I couldn't see." he said holding up a hand. "Everyday I ate with the hands."

Marik blinked. "So... you were fed by someone..." He said, slowly. "And you never knew who it was?

Ryou nodded. "Why? Wasn't everyone?" he asked confused.

Marik blinked and shook his head. "I wasn't. I don't think Bakura was. We just had dishes of food near us. Hmm… ooh! I'll bet it's the person who special ordered you!" Marik theorized, excited. "Wow. He or she must REALLY love you!"

Ryou glared. "If he loved me, he wouldn't have done this to me." He said scornfully.

Marik blinked. "How do you know it's a he? Could you tell by his hands?"

Ryou blinked and grinned sheepishly. "Um... yes." he said stupidly, wondering why he blurted out he when he really had no clue whether it was a him or her.

"wow... you're lucky." Marik said. "When I was developing I was just... alone. It sucked. Big time. I know you don't think you're lucky to have something like this happen to you, but believe me when I say you're lucky that someone was there and actually cared. No one cared about me." And Marik sighed and laid his head down on his folded paws.

Ryou laid his own head down, staring at Marik intently. "but you know you were just a victim by chance, no one specifically ordered anyone to come kidnap you, take you from any family or friends and turn you into a fuzzy monster..." Ryou said. "At least if you ever caught someone you could tear them to ribbons... I'd be lucky to get a good bite in." he said wrinkling his nose.

Marik chuckled. "True." He said. "But you're so cute! You could work that to your advantage, and when they're gushing over how cute the widdle bunny is, you go for their nads!"

Ryou blushed darkly. "I would not!" he stammered looking away. "… and I-I'm not very cute." He added softly, peering back at Marik, still blushing from the compliment.

"Why are you blushing?" Marik teased, grinning.

Ryou blushed darker. "I'm not..." He said burying his face into the wood shavings, ears twitching slightly from embarrassment.

Marik laughed. "You're all pink, Ryou." He said. "Well, if you won't eat, then at least drink something, okay?"

Ryou peered up, still blushing faintly. "I'm not... very thirsty either." he said softly, sitting up and rubbing his arm. "I'm fine, you... shouldn't worry about me." Ryou blinked. "Why are you worrying about me... anyway?" he asked suddenly.

Suddenly, Marik's eyes widened and he looked away. "I, uh, well... I mean, you're my neighbor, and you're new and obviously, um, well... something, and there's nothing more depressing than a sick bunny, and so, well..." His tan skin seemed to take on a pinkish tint in his cheeks. "Would you just sit and say nothing if I was refusing to eat and drink?" Marik shot back, looking at Ryou again.

Ryou flicked his ear. "You're blushing." He said, completely disregarding the question.

Marik blinked, looking like a deer in headlights, then smirked. "Well... wouldn't you be if you were having a conversation with a cute little thing and both of you were naked?"

Ryou blushed. "I know where your mind is..." he said softly, covering himself more thoroughly than before. He looked up, blushing softly, before looking away again. "So... u-um..." he asked softly, suddenly feeling very stupid. "I... thought lions didn't like ... well... rabbits."

Marik grinned, showing his teeth. "Oh... we LOVE them..." He purred in a deep tone, lashing his tail.

Ryou's eyes whipped back to Marik, his blush a deep crimson, almost surpassing his eyes. "Y-you... do?" he asked, ears laying casually in his hair, somehow forgotten.

Marik chuckled. "You're cute, Ryou." He said, and glanced over and Tuc and Nod. "And while I love bunnies... I believe I am beginning to loose my taste for their... meat... I think I'm finding the company of one much more satisfying than the taste of one." And he smiled at Ryou again.

Ryou nodded dumbly, almost hypnotized by Marik's golden cat's eyes. "Th-that's nice..." he said softly. "S-so you won't be eating me... anytime soon..." he breathed pulling his eyes away from Marik's, unable to stop himself from grazing those crimson orbs over Marik's body, once again admiring the caramel tan, the tail, the almost feline muscles, his hair, those ears...

Marik grinned, watching Ryou look him over.

"Oh, will you two stop drooling over each other already!" Bakura suddenly interrupted, and Marik looked over Ryou and gazed cooly at Bakura.

"You're just jealous." He said finally, giving Bakura a lopsided grin.

"Tch. Whatever." Bakura snorted and disappeared into his stump.

"Have fun with Mr. Fluffles!" Marik sang.

Ryou snapped out of his reverie and blinked. "Who's Mr. Fluffles?" he asked turning to face Bakura's stump.

Bakura appeared, glaring. "Marik, you son of a bitch!" He snapped, before storming off to a corner of his enclosure. Marik chuckled.

"A big stuffed skunk they gave him." He said. "It's for relieving... tension." At Ryou's blank look, he sighed and explained. "It's a humping toy, Ryou."

Ryou's eyes widened to the size of saucers. "WHAT!" he blurted shocked. "They gave him a... and he NAMED IT?" Ryou seemed to start hyperventilating. "P-please tell me just him... j-just him right? N-no one else h-has..."

Ryou shook his head in horror at the idea of them trying to get him to use one of those. His eyes burnt as tears threatened to fall at the sheer humiliation of the IDEA, let alone the act of...

Marik laughed. "You have one too, Ryou. It's over there in the corner. See?" And sure enough, sitting in the corner was a big stuffed pink rabbit as big as Ryou himself was.

"We all got them. I just found a better use for mine..." He grinned.

Ryou shook his head in horror. "I... I want you to tear it to ribbons! I'll throw the horrid thing over and you just mutilate it PLEASE!" Ryou said pressing his hands to the glass. "I cannot possibly even... Not even my wildest NIGHTMARES!" he said shaking his head looking paler than he normally was. "Kill it kill it kill it!" he whimpered. "After today, I swear these psychos are out to kill my mind! I don't want to DO a stuffed doll!" he wailed pulling his ears. "I REFUSE to have a DOLL be my first--" Ryou covered his mouth blushing darkly.

Both Marik and Bakura stared at Ryou with raised eyebrows at this outburst. Bakura broke off first, snickering.

"Awwww... is out little Playboy Bunny a virgin?" He teased.

"Leave him alone, Bakura." Marik said, sternly, and looked at Ryou. "If you want to throw your toy over to me to shred, do it." and he grinned. "What do you think happened to mine!"

Ryou quickly darted over to the doll and hefted it to the wall, tossing it over and sitting down, one hand still firmly plastered over his mouth, to prevent further outbursts. He was still blushing darkly, and his ears twitched in embarrassment. 'I can't believe I just said that... ' he thought shaking his head

Marik chuckled and pounced his new victim. "Thanks. I've been wanting something new to shred." And he couldn't help but glance over at Tuc and Nod. Bakura rolled his eyes. "I wanted to shred Mr. Fluffles, but Bakura wouldn't let me. He LOVES Mr. Fluffles."

"DAMMIT MARIK, I DO NOT!"

"Oh? Then why keep him?"

"... ... . pillow." Bakura mumbled, looking away.

Ryou giggled softly and looked at Bakura. "Really? A pillow?" he said thoughtfully, smiling when he noticed the sheepish look to Bakura's features. "Bakura... I... thank you for caring about me."

Rem frowned and tapped her foot, glaring at Marik silently. "Marik..." She said sternly, looking at the shredded bunny doll. "You're not allowed to sharpen your claws on toys!" she said stepping into his cage and tugging his ear lightly. "You know better!" She said, giving him a firm swat to the behind. "Now you apologize to Ryou for ruining his little friend."

"But Reeeeeem... ." Marik whined, wincing and tucking his bottom underneath him, making him look like a guilty kitten who had just peed on the floor. "He didn't want it! He said I could! He GAVE it to me! Ya think I went in and stole it from him on my own!"

Rem gave him another swat, to the thigh this time. "Shame! SHAME!" she said in a parental tone. "Go to your cave." she added firmly.

Ryou blinked and raised an eyebrow. Wasn't Marik a lion? Why didn't he just scare her off? Rem picked up the shredded remains of the bunny and sighed. "Now I have to find a new doll for Ryou. SHAME!" she said once more.

Marik growled under his breath, but slunk into his cave and lay down, resting his chin on folded paws and pouting. Bakura was laughing at Marik's misfortune.

"Sounds like they want to see you shamelessly humping a stuffed toy, Thumper." he cackled to Ryou.

Ryou glared. "I won't do it." he said firmly. "I don't care what they want." he pouted at Marik and laid near the glass, staring at him, his ears laying to the side on the wood shavings.

Rem shook her head. "Don't get too friendly, Marik, he's not for you." She said walking in and patting him on the head after a few moments. "You know he's not going to be here long, I don't want to see you get depressed when he leaves for his new home ok? He's just visiting."

Rem ruffled Marik's thick mane of hair and dangled a small mouse before him. "You want a little treat for being a good sport about taking your punishment like a good boy?" She said softly, favoring him ever-so-slightly over the other animals.

Marik rose to all fours, sniffing eagerly at the mouse, tail lashing, showing his excitement. He let out a half growl half purr, and swiped at it with one paw. When Rem started to back away, he followed, not taking his eyes from the squirming mouse.

Rem laughed softly and shook her head. "You want the mousey? Who's a good lion?" She said moving the squirming mouse from side to side, watching Marik follow it with his eyes. "Who's a good boy? Who's my big fuzzy lion!" She said cheerfully, as though she were talking to a beloved pet.

Ryou stared dumbly at this little show of... something.

Marik made a loud purring noise as his tail swung back and forth, faster and faster. He was beginning to bounce a bit, prancing back and forth before Rem, staring up at the mouse.

"Muuuurumph!" he said, a classic lion noise.

Rem smiled and gave the small mouse a good toss, watching the thing land and begin to dart away from Marik, who was in hot pursuit.

Ryou stared at Rem, blinking, before turning back to Marik. "Bakura... is Marik always like that?" he said softly, sitting up as Rem closed the door to Marik's enclosure, seeming to have solved the problem.

Bakura snorted.

"Of course he is. Rem loves him and spoils him. He's just a big pussy cat to her, and he acts like it when she's pampering him." They watched Marik's wild chase of the mouse, Marik looking like an excited kitten.

Ryou blinked and shook his head sighing softly and retreating into his log. "Bakura..." he said, peering out at Bakura, refusing to watch Marik degrade himself. "What was your life like... before..." he asked softly, trying to get to know his skunky neighbor. "Howd' you end up here?"

Bakura blinked, and then chuckled.

"Not sure. I was too high to remember!" he laughed, rolling over onto his back.

Ryou coughed a bit. "W-well... um... I suppose that's... um..." he took a deep breath. "So how old are you then?" he said changing the subject. "How long have you been here?"

Bakura snickered. "Twenty three, and about a year, I guess. Marik's been here for nearly two and a half years."

Ryou blinked. "Then how do they keep this place open? If they can't sell things... I mean..." Ryou peered out at Bakura and rubbed his arm sheepishly. "I... have an awkward question." he said after a moment, looking down at the wood shavings guiltily.

Bakura blinked. "One thing at a time, Thumper. First, they CAN sell things. It's just that the customers are afraid of Marik and I'm "mean." Now. What' the awkward question." Bakura asked, watching as Marik clothes lined himself on a low branch of his false tree while chasing the mouse.

Ryou fidgeted a bit. "Promise you won't get mad or laugh." he said softly, feeling incredibly stupid for even wondering briefly about the question he wanted to ask, but unable to just sit quietly about it.

Bakura quirked an eyebrow. "No. But I'll try." he said.

Ryou offered a sheepish grin. "... is your tail soft?" he blurted after a moment. "I'm sorry! But I want to touch it!" he said sheepishly. "It's so pretty looking!" Ryou laughed uneasily. "I know I shouldn't have asked, but I keep wondering about it every time I look at you..."

Bakura blinked, quirking an eyebrow, then shook his head and chuckled.

"Understandable. Yes, it's soft. I have to spend a lot of time grooming to keep it that way. And maybe someday, you can touch it." And he swished his tail around, showing it off, proudly.

Ryou grinned and watched it. "That's so neat... How'd you end up with backwards colors? I like it. It makes you look so neat..." he said softly, hoping to add ego boost and gain good friendship with Bakura.

Bakura smirked. "Not sure. It just happened. I was born albino, so I had the white hair, and so while skunks are mainly black, I'm mainly white. That's my theory, at least." And he shrugged.

Ryou blinked and nodded a bit. "I... suppose that works." he said not turning around. "Is he done? I can't watch him do that... maybe I'm just too proud... but he's... humiliating himself." Ryou said softly, frowning. "It's... kinda unnerving watching a lion act that way anyway... even if he weren't human, lions are supposed to... well... sleep... a lot."

Bakura burst out laughing. "True! True! But Marik has always been hyperactive. And honestly, being cooped up in a cage makes him restless, so chasing things like that is his only outlet. Trust me, Thumper. If he didn't chase shit around, he'd drive everyone as crazy as he is!"

Ryou blinked and shook his head a bit. "He's not crazy... just... well... very... bored. Yes, bored... very VERY bored."

Ryou flicked his ears and yawned softly, crawling under his log for a moment, stretching out and taking a nap. The evening was coming, and although he wasn't completely nocturnal, he was slightly, and had gotten very little sleep the night before. He was exhausted.

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